Those Naughty Elves Were At It Again!

When the Material Girlfriends created these Naughty Elves for the holidays, we had no idea just how naughty they were… .

They actually hid the free projects from us so we couldn’t post them earlier, but the projects have been recovered and the elves have been reprimanded! .Sooo, you can now find the FOUR free projects here on the Marcus Fabrics site. Choose from the Bedtime twin quilt, the panel with Border quilt, Pillowcases and Mug Rugs with Runner. .

And be sure to check out the Girlfriends’ Naughty Elves promo video. Happy Holidays to all!

DOWNLOAD these free projects

A Very Special Anniversary!

We can hardly believe that it’s been 35 years since Judie Rothermel designed her very first line of quilting fabrics! In 2022, we’re celebrating the 35th Anniversary of Judie’s iconic designs for Marcus Fabrics and her unique contribution to the world of quilting!

That first collection came about because Judie grew tired of tea-dyeing the available prints at the time to achieve an antiqued look. So, she set out to design a group of prints with the look she desired. It debuted in the Marcus booth at Quilt Market in 1987. Since then, she’s created thousands of beloved fabric designs for quilters, like Aunt Grace 1930s prints, Civil War collections, Old Sturbridge Village fabrics and sew many other… and there’s more to come!!

The official festivities begin September 1, 2022, so now’s a great time to browse through your treasured stash for your favorite “Judie Quilts”, fabrics, swatches, patterns and more, to enter various giveaways and contests to come  – stay tuned!

You can even begin sharing some of your favorites Judie quilts, swatches, etc. now on social media – please be sure to include #Judie35 or #JudieRothermel35, and tag us @marcusfabrics and @schoolhousequiltshop.

Congratulations, Judie!!

ICYMI – Mondays with Marcus – Series 3 Wraps!

As we conclude another exciting Monday with Marcus designer series, “The Colors of Marcus”, we wanted to give you an overall view of the free projects. Links to all of them remain available on the MWN page on the Marcus website, and we invite you to visit and follow each designer’s own sites and social media to learn more about them! View SLIDESHOW below

It all began on February 14, when we launched the series with the color RED. All of the participating designers created projects in red for Valentine’s Day and beyond…You’ll find the links for these on the MWM page, too!

Finally, watch for details on our Series 3 giveaway! We’re putting together a fabulous Deluxe Gift Basket of colorful Marcus fabrics and goodies, so stay tuned for the announcement and entry details. Happy Stitching!

Celebrate the Seasons with Cindy Staub!

Cindy Staub of Quilt Doodle Designs has been busy creating fresh inspiration for her SEASON SAMPLER collection, including her signature pre-printed panel and coordinating prints. Taking inspiration from the seasonal changes in her own garden, Cindy started with the BOM program, a collection of four season-themed wall hangings highlighted with hand embroidery, piecing and applique – the program begins next month!

Next, Cindy created fun FREE projects using the fabrics. They’re available for download on the Marcus website…shown here are her Shoo Fly quilt and Mini Seasons, versatile 12.5″ blocks. Both incorporate the fussy-cut printed panel and hand stitching.

Finally, Cindy’s adorablebee-themed Honeycomb quilt pattern is available for purchase online

#MondaysWithMarcus Returns Feb 14

It’s true!! We’re back with our third Mondays with Marcus FREE PROJECT SERIES, The Colors of Marcus!  This time, we’re launching on Valentine’s Day, so naturally, our talented designers are focusing on projects using RED fabrics.  Watch the video below for a preview of the RED launch projects, the visit our MWM page for links to their project instructions. Then, every Monday, through April 18, each of our designers will choose a color to feature in a second free project.  Collect any or all of the free instructions, and if desired, you can even order fabric kits for the projects, where available.  

We suggest you mark your calendar now with can’t-miss dates for your favorite colors and designers — we think you’re gonna love them ALL — and share the schedule with your friends.

Be sure to follow our Facebook page and Instagram feed, and those of our designers, too!

Here’s the lineup:

February 14    RED           Valentine’s Day Launch with All Participating Designers   

February 21    ORANGE    Gennifer March / G. March Design  

February 28    YELLOW     Nancy Rink / Nancy Rink Designs    

March 7          GREEN       Paula Barnes & Mary Ellen Robison / Red Crinoline Quilts      

March 14        BLUE          Lisa Norton & Lora Zmak  / Material Girlfriends 

March 14        BLUE          Tracy Souza / Plumcute Designs     

March 21        PURPLE     Sarah Maxwell / Designs by Sarah J   

March 21        PURPLE     Cindy Staub / Quilt Doodle Designs 

March 28        BLACK        Dolores Smith / Timeworn Toolbox Designs

March 28        BLACK        Pam Buda  / Heartspun Quilts 

April 4             BROWN      Rebekah L. Smith / Rebekah L. Smith Designs  

April 4             BROWN      Deirdre Bond-Abel / Hatcreek Quilts

April 11           GREY         Sheryl Johnson  /  Temecula Quilt Co.   

April 18           PINK          Laura Berringer   / Marcus Fabrics   

New WOOLS, Coordinating Cottons by Rebekah L. Smith!

We’re thrilled to announce our new addition to the Marcus design team, folk artist and wool applique expert Rebekah L. Smith! Her new LANACOT WOOLS (in 22 colors!) and coordinating cotton print collection, REBEKAH’S BASICS (20 prints) are perfect for experienced wool artists and beginners alike! Look for them in your local quilt shops in early 2022, both on the bolt and in convenient precut assortments.

And Rebekah already has pattern inspiration for you, too… look for her “Thistles” table runner, “Folk Hearts for Home” and other gorgeous wool applique patterns at Rebekah L. Smith

LANACOT WOOLS are premium quality, with a soft, plush hand that begs you to create!  While they’re perfect for appliqué and embroidery projects as inspired by Rebekah L. Smith, these beautiful wools lend themselves to lots of other creative uses, including rug hooking, overdyeing, home decor accessories and apparel.

New for Fall 2021!

If you haven’t seen our new website yet, this is the perfect time! We hope you’ll enjoy its streamlined design, and for quilt shop owners, the simplified online ordering process. We’ve also just unveiled TEN gorgeous designer collections this month, including:

(Click upper right corner of the photo if the slideshow doesn’t not begin automatically, or simply click thru the images at your own pace.)

Many of these new collections also feature free projects and/or patterns available through the fabric designers (you’ll find these under the MAKE IT tab on the site), so get ready for a full season of creative inspiration!

Three Gorgeous New BOMs – Which is YOUR Favorite?

Quilting friends, you’ll want to take a minute NOW to review what we’ve got coming for Fall 2021! Just launched: three beautiful new Block-of-the-Month programs, designed to appeal to a variety of tastes…let’s take a look:

“My inspiration for this quilt came from the collection itself, A RETURN TO ELEGANCE and what could be more elegant than a ribbon running through the blocks, tying them together in a sophisticated on-point composition,” Lynn Wilder says of her new BOM for Marcus Fabrics READ MORE

—————————————————-


Next comes a complete color departure in FANTASY, Sarah Maxwell’s new collection of dimensional blenders with a unique abstract motif, which she imagines as “a magic carpet to design adventures”. Fantasy Flights is a unique approach to a block-of-the-month quilt design, featuring a sampler-style variety of blocks. Choose the dramatic dark ground, the airy light ground, or both! READ MORE

——————————————————-


And Nancy Rink transforms her new MARCELLA group into a stunning quilt of the same name! It’s a new Marchives collection, inspired by an earlier Marcus line called Cotillion. In this design, Nancy alternating star blocks with a block that showcases the lush Hydrangea floral. Her rich yet gentle palette works all year long. READ MORE

Be sure to add one, two, or all three of these wonderful designs to your quilting plans. All programs begin January 2022. To view the full collections and further BOM info, click on the collection links above.

#MondaysWithMarcus: Laura Berringer’s “Spice Bazaar” Coasters!

It’s May 17 already, and with today’s reveal, we complete the second series of Mondays with Marcus! Laura Berringer mixes strips of her own SPICE BAZAAR collection to create easy quilt-as-you-go coasters! You can even apply this technique to a matching table runner or placemats. DOWNLOAD the FREE PROJECT HERE.

The warm, inviting tones of this collection were inspired by Laura’s pre-pandemic travels to Singapore. In addition to the many decorative and ornate batik fabrics there, she discovered wonderful markets with rich colors and spices to excite the senses.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this latest series of free projects from the Marcus designers! Which were your favorites? If you missed any of the debuts since March 8, you can browse and find the links to download each of them here. And watch for details on how to enter to win our second Grand Prize gift basket, filled with Marcus fabrics and designer goodies!